Combination cooking device



March 11, 1952 J, F, KANE 2,588,848

COMBINATION COOKING DEVICE Filed Sept. 4, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet l A 2 M x9 r A? J I 0 f (/OSA-P/l KRNE Z7 v84 yW H2 5 March 11, 1952 KANE COMBINATION COOKING DEVICE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 2217 UP l/d'iP/l f? Ken 6 Filed Sept. 4, 1947 March 11, 1952 J. F. KANE COMBINATION COOKING DEVICE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 4. 1947 INK E17 UT Jest- 61 KQME March 11, 1952 J. F. KANE 2,588,846 COMBINATION COOKING mavxca:

Filed Sept. 4, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 ELE- March 11, 1952 J. F. KANE COMBINATION COOKING DEVICE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 4, 1947 l r I n March 11, 1952 KANE COMBINATION COOKING DEVICE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 4. 1947 March 11, 1952 .1. F. KANE 2,588,846

COMBINATION COOKING DEVICE Filed Sept. 4, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 March 11, 1952 J. F. KANE 2,588,846 COMBINATION COOKING DEVICE Filed Sept. 4, .1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 WNW Patented Mar. 11, 1952 ICE COMBINATION COOKING DEVICE Joseph F. KaneQEvanston, I11. I Application September 4, 1947, Serial No. 772,027

3 Claims. (01. 99-423) The present invention relates to a combination cooking device and more particularly to such a device that is highly desirable for the toasting of slices of bread consecutively and automatically and for continuously making pancakes by virtue of a cooking cycle of predetermined length and intensity of heat, although the invention will have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

The great majority of busy restaurants and cafeterias have need of a constant supply of toast and pancakes during the breakfast period and an even greater supply of toast during the lunch and dinner hours. However, it is common practice for the cooks or attendants to stop their other activities and make pancakes or insert bread in the toasters as .each order is filled. Making pancakes in this way not only requires that the batter be poured on the griddle but also requires that the attendant remain at hand to prevent burning of the pancake. Obviously, much time can be saved and more uniform toast and pancakes can be produced if these operations were made completely automatic.

Further, the combination automatic toaster and pancake maker of this invention will find ready acceptance in the home. By use of this cooking unit the housewife can take her place at the table after filling the bowl with batter or inserting the necessary number of slices of bread in the machine. Pancakes or toast, as the case may be will be automatically cooked with no further attention from the housewife.

With this in mind it is an important object of this invention to provide a cooking apparatus in which the toasting of bread or making the pancakes may be efiiciently and automatically carried out without reduiring the attention of an operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cooking apparatus in which a predetermined metered amount of batter is automatically directed into the pancake mould, thus assuring uniformity of the finished pancake.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combination toaster and pancake-maker which is small and compact and readily movable from place to place. I A still further object of this invention is to provide a combination toaster and pancake maker in which each part of the toast or pancake is successively subjected to a uniform heat so that each consecutive article is uniformly cooked and no part of any article is overcooked or burned.

Another and furtherobject of this invention isv n the provision of a combination toaster and pancake maker the parts of which are easilydisassembled forcleam'ng.

According to the general features of this .in-

vention there is provided a plurality of griddles for receiving pancake batter which are-rotatably supported on a base member between a pair-of heater elements. quantity of batter at a griddle filling station and is swung about the axis of the support member between the heater elements to a discharge station where the griddle is bodily revolved by cam action about a horizontal axis to discharge the pancake therefrom. After discharging the .pan-

cake, the revolution of the griddle is continued until it returns to its initial position.

. By substituting a pusher plate for the griddle an efiicient toaster can be obtained. The pusher plate is provided with spaced apertures arranged to slide one slice of bread from a stack of sliced bread and move it in a circular path over a heater element to discharge it after a predeter mined time at a discharge station.

A special feature of this invention resides in the provision of a cam member having a threaded. portion for revolving the griddle to discharge a" pancake or the like.

. Another important feature of'this invention the provision of the heating element so disposed that every part of the bread or pancake is successively and uniformly cooked, so that each part is thoroughly cookedand no part overcooked.

Other objects, features and advantages ofthe'.

present invention will be apparent to oneskilled in the art from the following detailed description the accompanying taken in connection with drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a com' bination cooking device in the form of a toaster and pancake maker embodying principles of this:

invention, showing a supply bowl for delivering pancake batter to the unit when used as a pan cake maker;

Figure 2 is a plan view partly broken away of.

the cooking device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the structure of Figures l and 2, showing the cover swung into an"- open position and showing parts .removed and:

broken away to more clearly illustrate the structure; V

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an exploded vertical sectional-views similar to Figure .4 but showing the hinged cover Each griddle receives a metered member disposed directly above the base instead of in hinged relation in order to illustrate the arrangement of the component parts of the unit and particularly illustrating the ease of dis assembly for cleaning;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the underside of the cover member of the cooking unit;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line VIIVII of Figure 6;

Figure Sjis a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to that of Figure 7 but showing the closed position of the filler unit;

Figure 9 is a front elevational view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the cooking device as arranged when being used as a toaster;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the arrangement of Figure 9 showing the cover swung into an open position;

Figure 11 is a plan view similar to Figure 10 but showing the cover member swung into an open position, and the plate ordinarily disposed therebeneath removed to more clearly illustrate the lower structure of the device; and

V Figure 12 is a fragmentary, Vertical sectional view taken on line XII-XII of Fi e ,.As shown on the drawings:

-In Figure 1 is illustrated the assembled pancakemaking apparatus of thisinvention. Reference number [0 represents the cooking unit comprising a base portion Ida supported between two upright posts H and I2 by means of arms Band M. A cover member Nib, having a lifting handle I5, is pivotally mounted on the post.l2 by means of a hinge l1 :andis arranged to tightly close the open top of the base Wu. The posts II and 12 maybe suitably made of steel tubing and are secured to socket members l9 of a platform :21 by a plurality of set screws 29.

.Asupply bowl 23 is fastened to a hollow stand 24 which rests freely on .the post ll. Thus the bowl and the stand may be rotated on the post to permit opening of the cover member 101). The bowl 23 and the stand .24 may conveniently be removedas a unit and the stand will serve as a holder for the bowl .23 when it is not being used. :Eancake batter in the bowl is delivered to the cooking unit through a discharge tube 23a'which extends through .an opening 241:; in thestand .24. At its lower end a metering valve 231).- is threaded into the tube 230., being arranged totlimit theflowof batter from a discharge nozzle 23c. The tube 23a preferably. has a straight bore for. ease in cleaning.

Thecoverlflb, Figures4 and 6, isessentiallya cylindrical member having a closed top and an open bottom. Supported substantially parallel to the top plate H30 of the cover member, as by means of a pair of brackets 28 and 29 which are secured to the inner wall of the cover lillb, is an electric heating element 21.. An adapter member 30, Figure 7, having a central opening 391:, is supported in an opening 32 in the top plate ofithe cover member 101) by means of an en-. larged rim portion 301) formed integrally with the adapter 30 and arranged to overlie the edge of the opening 32. When supported in the opening 32-, the. adapter .30. contacts at its lower end. the sides of four guide members 35 which. are cut outof the top plate of the cover member and bent downwardly as shown in Figure 7. These slanted guide members tend to hold the adapter 39; in; place. It is to be noted in Figure4, that one of the guide members projects downwardly" 4 that member to clear a lock nut located therebeneath.

A cup-like container 36 is arranged to be sup-ported by a flange 36a. in the opening 30a of the member 30. The container 36 has a restricted orifice 3511 at its lower end extending below the lower edge of the adapter 30. This container serves to direct the pancake batter into the griddle as will be explained hereinafter.

The base portion Ilia of the cooking unit, Figure 4, is a cylindrical member entirely open at the top and at the bottom except for a slanted annular ring portion ltd. Disposed inside the base lilo and mounted for pivotin about a central drive shaft 31 is a spider member 38, a cam 39, an assembly ofgriddles 5B and a metering plate 4 I, positioned above each other in the order named. The spider member 38 and the cam 39 are stationary while the griddle assembly and the metering plate are secured for rotation on the drive shaft 31. It is to be noted that the metering plate 4| lies between the heating element '21 and the batter in the griddle assembly 49 and therefore acts as a 1301 griddle plate.

The spider member .38 comprises three arms, 38a, 38b and 880, spaced radially around .the shaft and secured to a hub member 38d. A spacer sleeve 44 issupported .by :a lower tubular portion 31a, of the drive shaft 37. .A plurality. of ueshaped supporting members 42 project upwardly above the arms of the spider member 38 to receive an electric heating element 43 which, as shown in Figure 11, receives energy from 'a feeder cable located in the post l2.

The spider 38 is supported by a beveled por-. tion 45 at the extreme end of each arm. This beveled portion rests on the annular rim .l'fld of the base 16a. The spider member 38 also serves to center the. base Uia since the outer portion of the guide arms 38a, 38b, and 380 have portions 41, Figure 3, bent substantially perpendicular to the arms to lie close against the inner wall of the base.

The cam 39, Figures 4 and 5,.is of a generally circular form having 'an upstanding wall portion 39a. The upper surface 391) forms the camming surface. A circular rim portion 390 extends outwardly from the wall39a around a large portion of the periphery of the cam wall and is arranged for close fitting contact with the side walls of the base I501. Since the cam 39 is merely a shell, the contact of the rim 39c with the side walls centers the cam therein. As shown in Figures 5 and 12, the. lower edge of the wall 3fia has two substantial vertical marginal portions 39d, one of which isadapted to abut each of the guide arms 38.!) and 380 of the spider 3 8 and thus prevent rotation of the cam.

For approximately three-quarters of its periphery, l1"igure. 4, the camming surface 391) is disposed substantially horizontally. However, at a point $.39e the surface begins to descend to a low pointiiflf at the junction of the camming surface and a portion of-a rack 48, ofiset inwardly from theicamming surface. The rack 43 which is formed integral with thecam, extends only a shortdistance, to a point 39g, Fig. '3, where the camming surface begins again and proceeds up an inclinetoits substantially horizontal position.

The. assembly of .griddles '40 comprises a plurality of .griddles 49. each. having a recessedpancake batter receiving portion 49a, a gear member 50, Figure 5,.and a roller 5|. The rolleris pivotally mounted on a projection 49b of the griddle. adjacent the gear 50-which is formed inte'g'ral with or otherwise rigidly secured on the projection 49b. The griddle 49 has an inner arm 490 which is pivotally mounted in a sleeve 52, being held therein by a collar 53 pinned to the end of the arm 49c. Sleeve 52 is mounted for pivoting substantially vertically on a pin. 54a in a hub member 54 which is disposed about the drive shaft 31. Each griddle is guided 'in its vertical pivoting movement by a pair of downwardly extending tabs Me, Fig. 5, bent downwardly from the metering plate 4 l.

As'the griddle assembly is rotated by the drive shaft 31, the roller 5| of each griddle rides on the camming surface 391) with the griddle in a substantially horizontal position and the recessed portion 49d opening upwardly. I As the roller 5| progresses around the cam, it rides down the slanted portion of the camming surface to the low point 39 where the surface ends. At this point the gear 50 moves into mesh with the rack 48 and begins to rotate the griddle. There are sufiicient teeth on the rack to rotate the griddle through one complete revolution, returning it to its original horizontal position by the time the camming surface begins again and guides the griddle up the slanted surface to its original hori-' zontal position.

It is evident that, if pancake batter is distributed into the griddle 49 and the griddle is rotated between the electrical heating units 43 and 21 at a predetermined rate of speed, the pancake will be properly cooked by the time the griddle reaches the low point 39c and will then drop out of the griddle when it is rotated about its own axis through approximately 180.

In order that only a certain, advantageous amount of batter be admitted to the griddle, a metering plate and upper griddle M is disposed on the drive shaft 31. Both the griddle assembly and the metering plate M are secured to the drive shaft 3! by means of a nut 56 which is threaded on the end of the shaft 31.

The metering plate 4! is a circular member having a plurality of recessed portions Ma, Fig. 3. Disposed in each of these recessed portions is an arcuate slot Mb which extends through the plateand provides means for pouring batter into the griddle which is disposed directly under the recessed portion.

The arcuate slot. Mb isdisposed at the same distance from the axis of rotation of the drive shaft as is the orifice b of the container 36. Therefore, when the cover [0b is swung down into place, the orifice 361) extends into the slots 4 lb, as shown in Figure '7. As the metering plate 4| is rotated, batter will be distributed to the griddle from the container 36, until the raised portion M c of the plate M, between the adjacent recessed portions, passes under the orifice 351). Each recess has a beveled upper edge Md which forces the container 36 upwardly as it passes therebeneath to cover the orifice,,Figure 8, and stop the flow of batter.

Thus, in this invention, there is provided a plurality of griddles each of which is arranged to receive a metered amount of pancake batter as it passes beneath a container. The griddles are guided on a camming surface which directs them between heating elements to a discharge station where the pancake is automatically discharged by bodily rotating the griddle.

The drive shaft 31 comprises a lower tubular portion 31a and an upper shaft portion 31b pinned together by the tapered pin 34. Near the upper end of the shaft 31 a shoulder 310 is supported on the hub 38d of the spider member the shaft 31 just above the bearing 51. This gear is driven by a gear 59a secured to the drive shaft 60 of an electric motor drive unit Bl which is supported by a bottom closure plate 62, Figures 4 and 9, fastened across the open bottom of the platform 2! andreceives its power from the conductor 63 leading from the terminal 64, Figure 11.

A rotating table member 66 is disposed about the shaft 31 secured by cap screws to. the gear 59. Thus, the table 66 rotates with the gear and moves the pancake away from the discharge station.

The electric circuit of this invention may be traced in Figures.9 and 11 from a terminal 64, through a conductor 63, the terminals Bid and Gib of the motor unit iii, the conductor 65, to the heater cord 61. The cord 61 is preferably made extra long to prevent transmission of heat to the motor unit 65. The cord extends vertically upwardly in the post l2 to a junction point 68 Where leads are taken off to the heating elements 43 and 23'. The circuit is of course completed through the heating elements and the cord 67 back to the terminal 69. Near the upper end of the post l2 the flexible cord 61 is provided with a loop of excess cord to allow the cover lob to be opened.

A dial-type thermometer 10 may be disposed in the top plate of the cover 19b to record the temperature inside the cooking unit. A thermostat may conveniently be incorporated in the thermometer unit and in the electrical circuit to deenergize the heating elements 43 and 2? when a predetermined temperature is reached.

In Figure 9 the cooking device is shown assembled for use as an automatic toaster. It will be noted in Figures 9 and 10 that the spider member 38 carrying the heating element 43 is positioned as before in the base portion of the cooking unit while the cam member 39 has been revolved to a position approximately removed from its former position, so that the inwardly disposed ratchet portion of the cam will not interfere with the discharging of the toast between the ends of the heating elements. It-is further to be noted that the griddle assembly 40 has been removed as has been the metering plate 4|. In place of these elements a pusher plate 15 is secured for rotation on the shaft 37 by means of the lock nut 55. The adapter member 30 with the pancake batter container 23 is removed from its position in the opening 32 in the cover. The opening 32 is now used to receive a loaf of sliced bread as clearly illustrated in Figure 9. The pusher plate 75 contains two oppositely disposed apertures 16 and 11 which have a configuration to approximate the shape of a slice of bread. As this pusher plate is revolved by the shaft 31, which is driven from the electrical motor unit 6|, one of these apertures will be moved under the loaf of bread and a slice of the bread will drop into the aperture and will rest on the heating element 43 therebelow. As the pusher plate continues its rotation this slice of bread will be slid from under the stack and will be rotated over the heater element through substantially 270 until it is discharged at the end of the heater element.

In Figure 10 theirelative position of the elements of the toaster is illustrated. There is also shown a piece of toast 7.9 which has been slid off the end of the heater element 43. The discharge station for toast is thus defined by the open space between the .ends of the element 43. It will be understood, of course, that to facilitate the dischargeof toast at this station the discharge end 4312; of the heater element 63 may be slanted downwardly, while the portion of the heater element 27 disposed irnmediately thereabove may be slanted upwardly to provide clearance for the slice of toast as it is discharged.

It is to be noted that the bread is automatically toasted on both sides simultaneously due to the fact that there is a heater element 27 in the cover member. matically slides one slice of bread from the stack of bread and rotates it between the elements to its discharge position. Thus it is seen that there is provided means for automatically toasting all the slices of bread from a stack of bread in a continuous and uninterrupted manner.

A particular feature of this invention is the arrangement of the heating elements '2! and 43 each of which as is clearly seen in Figures 6 and 10 has a special shape that causes every part of the slice of bread or pancake to be subjected to the heating elements as it progresses around the unit. Different parts of the elements are at different distances from the center of rotation and therefore no part of the article being cooked is subjected to a continuous intensive heating and the article is evenly cooked with no danger of burning in any portion.

Figure 9 shows plainly that the griddle assembly 40 can be stored in the hollow chamber in the bottom of the platform 21 while the unit is being used as a toaster and likewise, as shown in Figure 4, the pusher plate '15 may be stored in the hollow portion Zib of the platform 21 when the unit is being used as a pancake maker.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and'it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for continuously making pancakes, a metering device comprising a supply container having a discharge orifice at the bottom thereof, a plurality of griddles arranged for moving below said container to receive pancake batter therefrom and a plate movable with said griddles in sliding contact with the bottom of said container and having a plurality of openings of limited extent movable directly under'the orifice, whereby pancake batter will be delivered to one of said griddles when an opening is aligned with the orifice and will be held in said container at all other times.

2. 'In an apparatus for continuously making Each aperture 76 and 17 auto pancakes, a metering device comprising a'sup ply .container having a discharge orifice at the bottom thereof, a plurality of griddles arranged for moving below said container to receive -pancake batter therefrom, a plate movable with. said griddles in sliding contact with the bottom of said container and having a plurality of openings of limited extent movable directly under the ori fice, whereby pancake batter will be delivered to one of said griddles when an opening is aligned with the orifice and will be held in said container at all other times, a heating element associated with said griddles for heating the batter and means to cause relative motion between said griddle and said heating element.

3. In an apparatus for continuously making pancakes, a metering device comprising a supply container having a discharge orifice at the bottom thereof, a plurality of griddles arranged for moving below said container to receive pancake batter therefrom, a plate movable with said griddles in sliding contact with the bottom of said container and having a plurality of openings of limited extent movable directly under the orifice, whereby pancake batter will be delivered to one of said griddles when an opening is aligned with the orifice and will be held in said container at all other times, heating elements disposed on both sides of said griddles and means for moving said griddles between said heating elements.

JOSEPH F. KANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 19,685 Brand Sept. 3, 1935, 1,009,924 Moores Nov. 28,1911 1,310,495 Ford July 22, 1919 1,339,662 Morgan May 11, 1920 1,440,786 Lyons Jan. 2, 1923 1,631,655 Sunderland et al. June 7, 1927 1,666,335 Lentz Apr. 17, 1928 1,755,699 Loehr Apr. 22, 1930 1,776,501 Grady Sept. 23, 1930 1,844,339 Shaw Feb. 9, 1932 1,847,752 Coleman Mar. 1, 1932 1,868,287 Haeringer July 19, 1932 1,869,539 Brand Aug. 2, 1932 1,881,126 Parr Oct. 4, 1932 1,993,609 Kennedy Mar. 5, 1935 2,032,272 Feltman Feb. 25, 1936 2,033,178 Brand et a1 Mar. 10, 1936 2,078,641 Spencer Apr. 27, 1937 2,112,309 Santillan Mar. 29, 1938 2,142,390 Zerr Jan. 3, 1939 2,168,773 Parr Aug. 8, 1939 2,238,309 Cramer Apr. 15, 1941 2,369,274 Beatty Feb. 13, 1945 2,433,054 Lime Dec. 23, 1947 2,514,977 Tatosian July 11, 1950 

